The Yanti (23 page)

“Correct. That is natural.”

“How is it natural?” she demanded.

“We are in the position of greater power and authority.”

Ali felt frustrated. “So you equate service with conquering?”

“To a degree.”

“That is ridiculous! I speak for the green world, and, for the moment, I can speak for Earth as well. We do not wish to be conquered. Entity, please understand, we want you to leave us alone to create our own destiny.”

“We cannot do that.”

“Why not?”

“You will destroy yourselves.”

“You are here to destroy us!”

“That is incorrect.”

“You say you are here to serve us. You are just here to take from us.”

“That is partially correct. We will take from you, in this world and in the other. But at the same time, we will ensure your survival. Without our help, you will destroy yourselves.”

Ali hesitated. “Why do you say that?”

“Do you ask of the green world or the yellow world?”

“The yellow world.”

“In the next hundred of your years, the probability that the people of the yellow world will destroy themselves and the planetoid they reside on is extremely high. In excess of ninety-seven percent.”

“Those are not good odds.”

“No.”

“How do you know if they’re accurate?”

“The majority of the people on Earth serve themselves. Despite what you might like to believe, love is not the dominant quality on your planet. It is rare. We would not have been drawn here unless that was the case. When a race such as human beings has reached a technological level where they are capable of destroying themselves—and they have on the whole chosen the path of fear over love—then the chances of self-inflicted extinction are high. That is why we do not exaggerate when we state we are here to serve you. By taking control of your world, we safeguard your survival.”

“You act like we should be grateful you’re here!”

“Your race should be grateful someone is here.”

The reference to
someone
opened a door in Ali’s head.

“Are there other races in the galaxy that are drawn to love?”

“Yes. But they were not drawn here. Had there been sufficient love, they would have come. Instead, we have come.”

“But human beings do have a great deal of love, buried inside. They just need more time to find it. Then they will survive, on their own, without outside intervention.”

“That is wishful thinking on your part. Human beings have run out of time to make another choice. Therefore, the choice has been made for them—by us—to take away their freedom of choice.”

“You do not have the right!”

“Nor do we have the right to sit idly by and watch you die.”

Again, Ali hesitated. “Explain what you mean.”

“Let us give a few examples you are probably familiar with. The fish in your seas are no longer safe to eat. They are saturated with chemicals—specifically mercury and lead. In a hundred years, at the current rates of pollution, the seas will
be dead. Totally devoid of life. Yet it is the plankton in your oceans that is the main source of oxygen for life on your world. Let us take another example. Most of your vehicles and heavy machinery are dependent on the burning of fossil fuels. That pollutes your atmosphere, bringing on global warming. The list of what you’re doing to ruin your planet is endless. Plus, what is done on Earth rebounds into the green world. Both worlds will soon become inhospitable. Now what do you do to each other? You have your sayings. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. On one continent, everyone has too much to eat. They are all fat. On another continent, the masses starve. They are all skinny. Take this point to a more personal level. In your intimate relationships, specifically in your marriages and your families, the majority of you lie and cheat on your partners and your siblings.”

“That’s a lie!” Ali snapped.

“We state what is. Yes, Ali, you say humanity has love, and so it does, but it is rare. Too rare to save your world from extinction.”

Ali sighed. “I hear what you say, and much of it is true. But the agent you’ve created to carry out your plan—the Shaktra—is causing tremendous suffering in both worlds.”

“Only in the short term. In the long term, there will be more order, and therefore, less suffering.”

“And no freedom of choice?”

“
Less
freedom of choice. That is the way it must be. Because your people are instinctively selfish, when they choose, they do not choose for the greater good. They choose for themselves. We understand this. We evolved from a similar race. We do not blame you, we are just trying to save you.”

“Why do you have to work through an agent like my sister?”

“We have evolved, so to speak, to a level where we prefer
not to have direct contact with your level. For that reason, we use agents.”

“Did you choose Doren because of her connection to the blue light?”

“Yes. We would choose you for the same reason.”

“When Doren leaves her body, will she return to the blue world?”

“No. She will come to us.”

“Why?”

“Because she has made that choice. The choice of control.”

“Stop, wait. Are you saying you evolve differently than us? We follow the path of the doors. We go from the yellow world, to the green world, to the blue world, to the violet world, and, finally, to the white world.”

“That is correct. We evolve to the purple world, and remain there.”

Ali had what she thought was an insight. “Because your path is a path of control, you do not experience love, do you?”

“Correct. There is no love in the purple vibration.”

“I don’t mean to be rude but . . . don’t you miss it?”

“Our satisfaction, so to speak, comes from control. We cannot miss love. Indeed, it is the opposite of what we are.”

“But the opposite of love is what we call fear.”

For the first time the Entity hesitated to answer.

“You may call it what you wish,” it said finally.

“Then your satisfaction comes from creating fear, does it not?”

“You cloud the main issue. We come to serve. We serve by saving your race from extinction.” The Entity paused. “If you do not help us in our task, then you help destroy your race.”

Ali almost smiled. “You say I cloud the issue. The reverse is true. I see you for what you are. You are fear mongers. It’s what
gets you off. I’ll never choose to help you. What do you have to say about that?”

“If you do not join us, we will destroy you.”

“Here and now?”

“Yes.”

“Without using an outside agent?”

“At the moment, so to speak, you have stuck your head into our world.”

“Trying to scare me into joining you? Is that what you did to Doren?”

“It was different with her.”

“How so?”

“It will be easier for us to show you, rather than to explain to you.”

She shrugged nonchalantly, although her fear was great. “Show me.”

Ali became aware the six screens were filled with a picture of Doren. Her sister sat where she currently sat, and beside her stood Tulas, one of the high fairies, Doren’s great love. Tulas was dressed in a green robe with a golden rope-belt. He was the largest and strongest fairy in the kingdom, yet oddly, it was her sister who carried the sword. It was a custom with Doren, as were her red robes, ruby necklaces, and bracelets. Even the hilt of her silver sword was studded with red jewels that matched her hair, green ones that showed off her piercing eyes. Doren never went anywhere without jewels as rare as her beauty, and Geea never begrudged the fact that her sister had more male admirers—not just fairies and elves, but dwarves and leprechauns as well—than anyone in the elemental kingdom.

Together, Doren and Tulas made a stunning pair. Many, Ali
recalled, thought they would have made a powerful king and queen.

As the scene opened, Tulas also had a purple crystal over his head, and the Entity was answering Doren’s question as to where her father had disappeared to. The six screens said that he had joined them in another dimension. To this Doren and Tulas acted surprised, but the Entity explained that Nemi had done this of his own free will, and that they should be pleased. He could still help the green and yellow world from where he was.

With that remark, Tulas demanded to speak to Nemi, but the Entity said that was not possible because Nemi was busy with some type of work that could not be explained. Tulas did not like that answer.

“Why would he leave us without saying goodbye?” he asked.

“We detect a note of hostility in your voice, and remind you that we do not lie. Had we wanted to deceive you, it would have been simple for us to duplicate Nemi’s appearance and voice, and have him speak to you now—with answers of our own choosing. But we choose not to do that so as to maintain the integrity of our relationship with you.”

“Will we be able to speak to my father soon?” Doren asked.

“Yes. That appears highly probable.”

Doren looked up at Tulas from her place beneath the purple amethyst that at the moment hovered over Ali’s head. “It’s true—if they just wanted to lie to us—they could have fed us a much simpler answer,” she said.

Yet Tulas was not content. He addressed the Entity in his powerful voice. “How did Nemi transfer into your dimension? Does he still have a physical body?”

“He continues to possess a physical form, but it is has been changed. The change was necessary to facilitate adjustment to his new environment.”

The Entity had answered the second question, Ali noted, ignored the first. Tulas noted the fact as well. He kept insisting on more information. Oddly enough, Doren tried to calm him down. To Ali, it was as if her sister was already partially under the Entity’s spell.

Eventually, Doren and Tulas returned to discussing with the Entity what needed to be done to save the Earth. From the conversation, it seemed they had been examining the subject for some time, and everything the Entity said sounded good. It was focused on environmental pollution, and the need to reduce the Earth’s population to one billion people—over time.

Ali had always thought the Earth was overpopulated.

But the Entity did not speak of elementals invading the Earth.

Then the record appeared to jump forward in time. Next, Doren was alone with the Entity, and she looked worn-out and irritated. Yet the Entity continued to handle her smoothly. It repeatedly said she had to accept her “high position” in the hierarchy that was about to dawn.

Ali wondered how much time had elapsed since the initial talk. She asked herself why the Entity was giving her these
insights
. Clearly it was not worried she would leave the Isle of Greesh with knowledge that might hinder its ultimate goal.

The Entity spoke to Doren in a reasonable tone.

“You come from the blue light, Tulas does not. Therefore, he cannot act as a direct agent for the vibration we intend to bring into the green and yellow worlds. You have to accept the fact that you are destined to be queen here as well as on Earth.” The Entity added, “Besides, it is what you always wanted.”

“But my sister is queen of Uleestar. My father made her so, and she holds the Yanti and is the only one who knows how to use it.”

“Others might also know how to wield it,” the Entity replied.

“Do you?” When the Entity did not answer, Doren added, “I get the impression you don’t understand how powerful it is.”

“We understand the Yanti—its origin and its purpose. We would have preferred you possessed it, and not your sister. But from the way you speak of her, it is not yet time to bring her here.”

“When will be the time?”

“Soon. But first you must accept a greater influx of power into your physical form.” The Entity paused. “We have to slightly alter your brain.”

Doren sat up. “What do you mean?”

“We speak of the frontal lobes of your brain. We need to implant a crystal in that spot, between your eyebrows.” The Entity added, “Don’t worry, no one will see it. Your beauty will not be marred. It will probably be enhanced.”

Doren was curious. “How so?”

“You will shine with great radiance. Others will find you even more magnetic, and be drawn to you automatically. They will clamor to fulfill your wishes.”

“That sounds interesting.”

“We can implant it today. Now.”

Doren hesitated. “I will have to think about accepting this implant.”

“Don’t think about it too long.”

“What’s the hurry?”

“There is a timetable when it comes to the green and yellow worlds. We are only allowed to operate within a certain time frame. Otherwise, a great opportunity will be lost.”

“I don’t understand. Explain yourself.”

“Is it necessary that we explain everything to you?”

“I’m not sure what you’re asking.”

“Isn’t it time you began to accept what we say on faith?”

Doren disliked the response. Who wouldn’t have, Ali asked herself.

Yet her sister replied with the same answer.

“I’ll have to think about your offer.”

Then there were images of Tulas, alone in the chamber, but he had in his hands a bag of takor stones. Ali was surprised. Unless her father had shown Tulas how to use takor—via voom—it would have been of no use to him as a weapon. Indeed, he should not even have known that the stones existed.

On the other hand, her father had trusted Tulas a great deal. He was a gentle soul, and a valiant warrior. He often kept Doren in line by tempering her worst weaknesses—her vanity and her temper.

Yet here he was, ready to blow up the chamber!

Even before the horror arrived, Ali knew it was coming. For the chamber was still here, and Tulas was not. It was obvious the Entity had powers at its disposal far beyond those it had let on. But studying the Entity, Ali did believe that it told the truth—insofar as what it said. Perhaps it was bound by some sort of cosmic law to be truthful.

Still, that did not prevent it from being cruel, devious too.

As Tulas placed a final takor in the farthest corner, a sound wave was emitted by the crystal cubes. The noise was totally unlike the sounds Ali used to detonate takor; nevertheless, it was effective. Tulas was given no warning. She would have closed her eyes if it would’ve helped. The stone exploded in his hand, and blew off his head.